The Shadow
SALEM — Justin and Tristan Hall both have state tournament experience.
They will try using it today at the Salem Civic Center in pursuit of state championships.
Justin, an Alleghany junior, and Tristan, a Covington junior, each went 2-0 Friday, punching tickets to this morning’s semifinal round.
The two, distant cousins by marriage, led an area six-wrestler contingent to Salem.
For Tristan (39-10), it was a pair of first period pins that did the job.
First it was Jason Foster of Riverheads in 49 seconds and then it was Noah Acree, the Region A champ, in 1:51.
A double-over was Hall’s winning move in the quarterfinals.
“I just double over both his arms and I sit out to my butt and throw ‘em,” he said. “I love that move. I love it.”
Tristan was 0-2 in Salem last year as a sophomore.
“I got eliminated in the second round,” he remembered. “Today, it felt great, I don’t even know what to say — I’m so excited.”
Justin had to wrestle a little longer, but got the same result that all 560 wrestlers gathered Friday desired — two wins.
After a second period pin in round one, Hall got the best of Heritage’s Gavin Womack in the quarterfinal round, 3-0.
Hall, who placed sixth last year at the state tournament, escaped from the bottom seconds into the third period and sealed the match with a takedown with 27 seconds left.
“He wanted to be on his feet,” said the Mountaineer strong man. “And being on your feet with me ain’t really good. I ain’t never mastered neutral yet.
I’m a better bottom or top man. Anytime a guy goes neutral in the second period I can only win by points, I can never get a pin. I like pinning people.”
“We saw that guy wrestle his first match and we knew he was good in that neural position,” said AHS?coach Dale Burdette. “We tried to stay out of those tie-ups. Justin stuck to his guns. He ran that duck-under that he always runs. Like we say, dance with the one that brought ‘ya.”
Justin, now 40-6 on the year, gets Grant Abernethy of Brentsville District in this morning’s semifinals (21-9).
While Justin is not familiar with his semi opponent, Tristan knows his well.
Grundy’s Matthew McGowan (24-9) pinned him last week in the second period in the Super Regionals at Castlewood.
But Covington coach Randy Phillips, who won a state title back in 2006, warns that last weekend’s match could have easily went the other way.
“Tristan had him on his back at the end of the first period,” Phillips said.
Hunter Tallman, another junior, was the other Covington wrestler participating Friday. He went 2-2 and lost a controversial decision in the third round of consolations to Jacob Taft of Lancaster.
“He had him pinned, the referee hit the mat,” Phillips said. “But the second referee called an infraction and Hunter didn’t even get the back points.
Then he comes up two points short. He gave it his all like he always does.”
Tallman (35-15) had a pin and a tech fall in his two wins and lost by pin to Grundy’s Gabe Fiser, the defending state champion.
A third Cougar — Kent Bullock — was unable to participate because of a shoulder injury.
“It was disappointing that Kent didn’t get to wrestle,” Phillips said. “I hope he comes back even stronger next year.”
Ethyn Kimberlin, Haydon Washburn and Zack Silver all wrestled for Alleghany Friday.
Kimberlin, just a sophomore, stuck Region C champion Lain Weaver of Fort Defiance in the second period for a first round win, while Silver went 2-2, including an overtime victory in the second round of consolations over Matthew Basala of Brentsville District.
Haydon Washburn didn’t win a match, but wrestled tough in an overtime loss to Manny Sanchez of Fort Defiance in the first round of consolations.
Kimberlin ended the year with a 36-13 record, Washburn was 41-10 and Silver recorded a 39-7 mark.
“I don’t remember ever winning three matches in the first round at the state tournament,” Burdette commented. “That was a really good round for us.”
While Grundy was building a comfortable lead over Rural Retreat on top of the Class 1 team standings, New Kent took a 106.5-94 lead over
Chrsitiansburg in 3A after Friday night’s matches.
The Blue Demons have won 17 straight state wrestling team titles.
